Sign Update

• Exhibition Displays - March 2010
  
  
  Exhibitions and trade shows have been the primary way many companies choose to showcase their products and meet customers and distributors for many years. Planning can take a long time and a lot of effort and money, sometimes thousands of pounds, go into designing and building a stand that might be used only once.

  But with the widespread use of the internet and other ways of communicating with customers, many companies have opted out of large trade shows in favour of a higher number of smaller promotional events.

  Because the type of events has changed, the rapid advances in large format printing along with media and inks, so customer demands and styling have changed too. These days, customers want more versatile displays that can be used on multiple occasions at different events and locations and still have a real impact.

  Mary Griffiths, UK Operations Manager, at Mark Bric Display, says: "We're finding traditional shell scheme and square straight lines are not so popular now. People are choosing more attractive shapes, curves and waves that entice passers by, with large seamless graphics and clever illumination making full use of the available height.

  "Our customers want stands they can re-use on different occasions. For example, after an exhibition they'll use part of it for a reception display or for demonstrations, so systems have to be flexible and versatile."

  Chris Newton, Creative Director at Enhanced Images, agrees, saying "Companies will often hire part of hotel or conference facility rather than go to a big exhibition, and their display requirements have changed accordingly. Costs such as being charged for each electrical socket on your stand is also part of the reason why people going down the portable route."

  "Display solutions that they can transport themselves, in the back of a car, and which won't cost a fortune to store, are what people want now," says Stewart Wilkins, Managing Director of Splash Display. "Overall spend is reducing and customers are more likely to use something year on year where they can just update the graphics. One irony is that some exhibition companies have been re-using bits for years, but charging clients for totally new systems."

  Gordon Neile, Business Development Director at Eurostand Display, has been involved in the exhibition trade for 20 years and thinks the drastic reduction in lead times is one of the most notable trends within the UK marketplace today.

  He says: "It used to be the case that prospective end-user clients would make initial approaches to our dealers for their display or stand requirements up to four or maybe five months in advance of an event. They'd even take time out to travel to our dealers' premises or showrooms to view and physically assess display products being on offered. Nowadays, however, the contact is made much closer to an event - sometimes with less than a week to go."

  Quality is also a big issue in today's market, because shorter lead times and the perfectly-reasonable desire to reduce costs can lead to mistakes. Now many more customers source their suppliers via the web, but this may not necessarily be a good thing. An impressive-looking website is no more than that; it's not a guarantee of quality products. And it's important to remember that direct comparison of goods viewed over the internet can be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

  "It used to be the norm for our dealers to travel in order to demonstrate a product, or arrange a showroom visit. When you're in front of a customer they can see and feel the true quality of graphics and the different display mechanisms that work with them. Even Eurostand Display's lower-priced product ranges are guaranteed for a minimum of five years. This dramatically reinforces our core message to our trade-only customers that we offer only quality products," says Gordon from Eurostand Display.

  Chris from Enhanced Images echoes this sentiment, saying: "Some suppliers are just printers who knock out a roll press and don't fully understand environment the products are used in. We offer a complete service including design concept, in house printing, finishing, and installation. It's important to choose a professional company that understands the potential pitfalls and can recommend the correct solution, not just the cheapest."

  However, the cost savings that can be made from choosing the correct display system can be significant.

  Leigh Godby, Studio Manager Maxe Display, explains: "We had one customer who was spending about £4,000 each exhibition printing paper mounted on MDF and wood, which all went into the skip afterwards. We looked at what he needed and suggested a Plex aluminium display system. He's thrilled with system, and he saved £12,000 in a single year."

  According to those that Sign Update spoke with, the recession isn't all bad news and good companies will come through it.

  Leigh of Maxe Display says that at the start of the downturn there was a bit of a dip but now people are finally realising that marketing will keep them out of trouble.

  

  "All of a sudden people want more marketing materials, and with some suppliers folding there are some new customers that can be won," says Leigh.

  Stewart from Splash Display adds: "From what I hear some companies in the exhibition trade are struggling, but business with us is as buoyant as ever, so we're optimistic."

  What's more, says Mary from Mark Bric Displays, although some customers are being economical, December 2009 was the busiest December in the USA and Sweden for years with the UK now picking up also and people are feeling quite positive at the moment.

  Chris Bradley from William Smith says: "Exhibition graphics will be influenced to an increasing extent by the availability of, in particular, non-PVC films and new Latex inks and complementary printing solutions that create a much reduced environmental impact as well as more advanced graphics pre-printing and finishing solutions.

  "New non-PVC films are degradable by comparison with traditional solvent-based alternatives but with no compromise on the quality of the finished graphics. The new Latex inks, unlike traditional solvent-based inks, do not give off dangerous levels of harmful VOC emissions which are now either greatly reduced or eliminated. This benefit is further enhanced by the availability of specially configured printers which use these inks and require little or no out-gassing, leading to higher print speeds and final graphics output."

  Chris also believes that other special-purpose materials such as those with enhanced flammability rating now used widely for rear-projection applications and for creating special effects and surface finishes will be major driving factors in the future of exhibition displays.

• Wayfinding - Jan 2010
  
  
  These days the term wayfinding has become a common phrase in the sign industry, and many architects and clients seems to understand what it means, but it wasn't always so.

  Things were very different says Nicholas Hawksworth when he set up Wayfinding Consultants Ltd in 1999, which works with sign companies, planners and architects to research, develop and design, project manage and install wayfinding schemes.

  "At the beginning we often had to explain to architects and potential clients what wayfinding meant. But there was an explosion in wayfinding and accessibility signage around 2002-3, and we now find that many of our clients understand what wayfinding is, and how good wayfinding and good, well thought through sign schemes greatly improve their profile."

  "It's brilliant that the market has expanded but even though awareness of wayfinding is good, we still find that the budget on a project is often very small or just added at end. Signs are in the last fix but they're often the first thing people look for and interact with. Sign companies and sign / wayfinding consultants need to be involved earlier," he explains.

  Nicholas says many customers these days now look at the wider picture and accept the need for expertise to produce solutions, of which in terms of a journey, sign are a significant part. One trend he highlights is the move away from standard off-the-shelf systems to bespoke signage.

  "We promote bespoke to our clients rather than off-the-shelf systems so we can control typographic layout and effectively integrate the design to the architecture and landscape."

  Trevor French is Sales & Estimating at Simplex, a trade only supply company where wayfinding systems make up a significant proportion of the business.

  He says: "Each customer wants their own individual identity and people are moving away from flat standard signs to more modern styles with greater variations. 'Flavour of the moment' is curved wayfinding signage."

  "Popularity of bespoke wayfinding signage is definitely on the rise but the market for standardised products is far from dead. We supply for lots of contracts, especially around colleges and universities where they go for traditional fingerposts, pole and plank and directory types."

  "Things can change quickly and we often have to advise clients to allow scope for extra names to be added or things to change," puts in Trevor.

  Digital printing revolutionised the sign industry, and wayfinding is no different. Digital printing has enabled wraparound text, pantone colour matching, and given greater design freedom; and its affordability has led to the advent of disposable and adaptable wayfinding signage and more short term displays.

  Lesley Coleborn, European Product Manager - Sign Systems & Displays at Spandex, says "The need to update the message regularly is what determines the type of wayfinding solutions that customers choose."

  "The communication world is moving at a rapid pace and the demand for more information is being driven along with that. These days you walk into a reception or exhibition hall and you expect to have lots of information readily available. Now more things such as electronic displays, tracker screens, and LEDs can be put in wayfinding displays and they can be updated regularly, even hourly. It's very exciting, almost scary, but in a good way."

  Nicholas agrees, saying "Customers expect more and are being delivered more. This is the Information age; we're all more switched on and used to reading and understanding maps and following different types of signs and wayfinding devises"

  "A catchphrase at the moment, and not just in the sign industry is 'Convergence Technology', which is where a device does many different things, such as the multiple applications on an i-pod or a monolith type sign that gives information not just on where you are going, but also other local attractions, and an opportunity to interpret local history, all in many different graphic, visual and digital ways."

  But how much information is the right amount to include?

  Robert Shelley of Shelley Signs, a company specialising in the design and production of outdoor information panels for parks, nature reserves and visitor attractions, says: "Wayfinding differs from other areas sign trade in the need to convey quite a lot of information in a clear way so graphic design is hugely important."

  "A common error is trying to squeeze too much information on a sign, but less is more on a good quality interpretive sign. Some customers think they have to tell people everything and find it hard to know what to leave out. Keep in mind, a sign often needs to work for many different people, maybe a whole family, and they may look at it for 30-60 seconds only. A useful tip is to imagine you have just one minute to tell someone what's the most important points."

  "In an ideal world a panel sign would be A1, have 150-200 words and small illustration with caption, that's enough. If people need more detail, that's what leaflets and websites are for."

  "Following good sign design guidelines is what's important. They should be specified in a project, but whether or not they are, good design should be adhered to anyway," says Robert.

  Avoiding shiny surfaces that produce glare and using high contrast colours, clear typefaces and lettering spaced correctly, are some basics towards effective signage for everyone. Location is also important, what's the use of a sign under lights that attracts so many insects it quickly gets covered in debris?

  One useful tool aimed at anyone involved in planning access within and around buildings is The Sign Design Guide, jointly produced by JMU Access Partnership (now part of RNIB Access Consultancy Services) and the Sign Design Society.

  The A4 publication of more than 90 pages covers planning, designing, specifying and installing signs, as well as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and has in-depth guidance on accessible signage. It gives information on creating effective and consistent signs, promoting one sign for all to meet everyone's signage needs. The Sign Design Guide is available at £20 + VAT from JMU's website.

  As more information needs to be accessible to more people and legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is introduced, tactile and Braille signage is now specified more often. However, it's more than just a case of using raised letters or translating words into Braille.

  RNIB Access Consultancy has considerable experience of accessible environments and offers sign assessments, advice, proofreading, translation services, and sign design training.

  Sharon Almond is Principle Access Consultant at the RNIB Access Consultancy, and says: "Sometimes people are nervous to contact us because they think that to make a sign work for blind and partially sighted people it needs to be black and yellow, but this is far from the truth. Signage can look great and be accessible to a wide range of people. We're working to same goal, i.e. understanding the people you're designing for and planning more inclusive schemes."

  "Often people ask us why a sign needs to be designed to meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people - surely if they can't see they can't find or use the sign? We explain that the majority of blind and partially sighted people can see and through logical placing and good design a sign can be used by a wider range of people. Good visual contrast can aid someone when locating the sign and then raised text and Braille can be felt with the fingers by people who can locate the sign, but not read the information visually." says Sharon. "It's also important to remember that many of the aspects of good design covered in the Sign Design Guide will make signage easier for everyone to use. Creating an accessible signage scheme doesn't have to add much to the overall cost but it makes such a big difference to the people trying to use it."

  "Clear, well-planned wayfinding signage makes sense not only for customers and for sign makers' reputations, but for everyone," says Sharon.

• Engraving and Routing - Nov 2009
  Investing in additional equipment such as routers and engravers in house gives a business the opportunity to develop new markets and generate additional income.

  The balance of whether the possible additional income is worth the financial investment and associated risk is different for every business; but critical to any venture's success is choosing the right equipment from the start.

  The latest machinery is more technically advanced than ever. Versatility of new machines is increasing, the choice of materials is growing all the time, and the possible markets for what is produced can seem endless. But it's not all roses, depending on what you buy, serious investment can be required, although leasing can help, and the competition is fierce. Manufacturers are busy researching and developing ways to get the most out of technology and have a range of tempting equipment, take a look.

  Tekcel routers are available in single tool or multi tool change configurations, have class leading ballscrew drives on every axis and now include Tekcel's own print to cut solution, developed in conjunction with CADlink. AXYZ's Intelligent Cutting System (ICS) has a highresolution camera imaging system that captures print registration marks as well as industry-leading I-cut control software to resolve problems associated with linear and non-linear material distortions. The robustness of the Pacer HDS, closed-loop servo drives and ball screw combination, contributes to its smooth operation and fine-tolerance cutting capabilities that provide high quality edge finishes, meaning less post-routing finishing. Identify Engraving Systems has boosted its existing range by now offering Roland engraving machines.

  But it's not just the router or engraver that makes the difference between success and failure; software and accessories are also crucial.

  CADlink's new EngraveLab V8 program includes advances in both rotary and laser engraving workflows, additional features such as new fill routines to reduce "tool time" and is twice as fast as the previous version. ITC Tooling is about to launch a new ClearCut range, developed to give outstanding surface finishes on acrylic materials and eliminate the necessity of secondary operations and finish polishing.

• Training for Sign Makers - July 2009
• Freestanding Signs - May 2009
• Colour Printing - Jan 2009
• Software - Nov 2008
• Lighting and LED - Jan 2009
• Street Furniture - Sep 2008
• Installation - Sep 2008
• Vinyl - July 2008
• Modular Signs - July 2008